Getting ready for an international trip is exciting, especially now that you finally have time to travel without worrying about work. But traveling as a senior takes a bit more planning than it did when you were younger. Traveling at an older age has its own set of challenges, so it’s important to plan ahead. 

Long flights and busy travel days can be harder on your body now. It’s best to travel while you’re still feeling good because waiting too long could mean that traveling becomes too challenging, especially if you ever end up needing to live in a care home. In this article, we will go over some of the ways to prepare for a trip as a senior. 

1 – Take health and safety precautions

Before you go on an international trip, it’s really important to take care of a few health and safety steps, especially as a senior. Start by visiting your doctor. Talk about any health concerns you might have and make sure you’re up to date on any shots needed for where you’re traveling. 

This is also a good time to refill your medications. Bring enough for your entire trip, plus a little extra just in case you face delays. Keep your medications in their original bottles, and have a list of what you take, along with a note from your doctor if needed.

Getting travel insurance is another smart move. It can cover medical costs if something unexpected happens while you’re away. A plan like GeoBlue travel insurance is designed for international trips and can give you peace of mind. It’s much better to have coverage and not need it than to deal with an emergency without it.

Remember to take care of yourself during the trip, too. Long flights can be challenging, so try to get up and move around to stretch your legs. Drink plenty of water and go easy on heavy meals before flying since they can make you feel sluggish. 

2 – Choose the destination wisely

Picking the right place to visit is a big part of planning your trip, and it’s even more important when you’re older. Choose a destination that matches what you need right now, like good medical care and easy transportation options. Look for spots that are known to be senior-friendly, with plenty of benches, flat paths for walking, and attractions that are easy to get to.

Think about the weather, too. It’s a good idea to avoid places that get really hot or really cold, as extreme temperatures can be tough to handle. Travel during milder seasons when it’s easier to enjoy sightseeing and being outside. And if you have any breathing issues, be careful about choosing places at high altitudes, as it can make it harder to breathe.

You also want to feel safe while traveling. It might be easier to get around in places where English is spoken or where there are lots of tourists. Look into how safe the area is before booking. Go for destinations that are known for being welcoming and secure. Picking a spot with these things in mind will help you have a more comfortable, stress-free trip.

3 – Have a packing strategy

Packing for an international trip doesn’t have to be stressful if you keep things simple and organized. Start by making a list so you don’t forget the essentials. Comfort is key, so pack clothes that are easy to wear and can handle different weather. Bring a light sweater or jacket for cooler days, and make sure to pack comfy shoes, especially if you’ll be doing a lot of walking.

Keep your important documents together in a safe place. Have your passport, tickets, and any medical info handy in a small travel organizer. It’s also a good idea to save digital copies of these on your phone or email as a backup. If you take daily medications, bring enough for the whole trip and pack them in your carry-on bag in case your luggage gets delayed.

4 – Plan out the airport experience

Getting through the airport and handling a long flight can feel tiring, but a bit of planning can make it easier. Arrive at the airport early, so you have enough time to check in, go through security, and get to your gate without rushing. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask the airline staff. They can assist with things like your bags or offer a wheelchair if walking is tough.

Security checks can be a bit of a hassle, but you can make it smoother by being ready. Keep your passport, ticket, and ID handy. If you’re carrying medications, put them in a clear bag and let the security team know. Wear clothes and shoes that are easy to take off, since you might need to remove them during the screening.

Probably, everyone has heard of auroras — a relatively rare occasion that turns polar skies into a real light display of green and reddish colours. This beautiful show, aka aurora borealis, happens when molecules from the Sun, hit our planet’s magnetic shield and are best observed up north, which is why these lights are also called polar.

But our planet has a Southern Hemisphere, so does this mean there are Southern lights, too? Yes! The southern light show, Aurora Australis, almost mirrors its better-known counterpart, but not quite. They are neither identical nor precise, mirrored reflections of one another.

Below, describe what causes this peculiar shining, explain the difference between the northern and southern lights, and mention a few spots where you can observe them.

What Causes the Shining & Where It’s Best Seen?

Some layers of the Sun’s atmosphere consist of highly ionised plasma that drives solar particles away from our star. Eventually, this wind ‘crashes’ into our atmosphere, exciting particles of nitrogen and oxygen. They start emitting radiation at visible light spectrums, which, to our eyes, looks like colourful shining in the sky.

Usually, we see red or green hues, which is the shining oxygen. Sometimes, these lights can appear purple, orange, or pink — and these hues are brought on by nitrogen. Technically, northern and southern lights are located in the atmosphere’s upper layers, with green oxygen-powered shining occurring at altitudes of 145-300 km; rarer, reddish glow happens at 300-400 km altitude because that’s where oxygen concentration is lower, and solar ions have to make do with nitrogen instead.

At such altitudes, our eyes are less sensitive to the light show, but that’s not the only reason why reddish shades are less common. They do not occur as often because our atmosphere is not so dense at this altitude, so there are simply fewer ‘collisions.’ That is why purple auroras typically happen at solar maximum, peak times of our star’s activity that occur once per decade and when there are more ions bombarding us from above.

From our land-based perspective, where are the northern and southern lights located? Both occur s, at 60° and 75° latitudes, the northern and southern poles. These regions are also called auroral ovals – that’s where our atmospheric shield is most condensed, so we get to admire the bright collisions as they happen.

What is the difference between North and South Aurora? 

Judging from what causes this shining, there should be little distinction between Northern lights and Southern ones— and, to a certain extent, it’s true. For many years, scientists actually believed that these two are mirrored reflections of one another, with Southern lights occurring from March till September (up North, it’s in reverse). However, careful observations have shown mismatches in aurora patterns primarily caused by asymmetric magnetic field alignments between Earth and the Sun. Simply put, the impact angle is skewered at most times, so the collisions do not occur with the same intensity or in the same spots. This is the primary distinction between North shining and Southern lights— these two are never the same in shade or intensity, and their observation periods differ due to our planet’s rotation axis relative to the Sun.

One more difference becomes clear if have a closer look at the Northern and Southern lights map. In southern areas, shining occurs in less populated regions, if populated at all. So, southern lights visibility is simply better because you are far from city lights and nothing interferes with your view.

So, are the Southern lights better than the Northern lights? In theory, this might well be true, but there is a catch when it comes to practice. There simply aren’t enough places to observe southern night glows because, for the best visibility, you would need to be aboard a ship somewhere in the ocean, closer to the southern pole. Such cruises do exist, but they generally sail in March because that’s when the seas are passable.

Our better-known celestial spectacle, aurora borealis, is way easier to catch because there are plenty of land areas that boast good visibility of this phenomenon. Russian tundra might not be the best choice, of course — even considering its next-to-zero light pollution (or because of it). Scandinavian countries, however, have an excellent tourist infrastructure, with proper roads, public commute routes, and accommodation (not to mention a few other sights any of these countries can offer).

Southern lights, unfortunately, have a rather limited range of observation spots from land. At times of solar maximum, you may see them in some southern parts of Australia and New Zealand, but the best show usually happens in the open seas. Still, this year is, in fact, a solar maximum, so even southern areas are good observation spots. So, our last tip to anyone hoping to see northern and southern lights today is to check forecasts, giving up to 30-minute warnings, on space weather resources, like NOAA or SpaceWeatherLive. And don’t forget your camera! 
Author: Emma Thorpe